Paul Simon Says His 'Farewell' Tour Will Be His Last

With a musical career spanning more than 50 years, singer and songwriter Paul Simon has announced that his upcoming “Farewell Tour” will be his last.

The 16-time Grammy award winner made the announcement on Monday, with the 76-year-old citing the recent death of his lead guitarist and wanting to spend time with his family as reasons for his retirement from touring.

“Sadly, we lost our lead guitarist and my friend of 30 years, Vincent N’guini, who died last December. His loss is not the only reason I’ve decided to stop touring, but it is a contributing factor,” Simon said in a statement.

“Mostly, though, I feel the travel and time away from my wife and family takes a toll that detracts from the joy of playing. I’d like to leave with a big Thank You to the many folks around the world who’ve come out to watch me play over the last 50 years.”

His “Homeward Bound – The Farewell Tour,” which kicks off in Vancouver on May 16, will include shows in North America, Europe, and the U.K. Tickets will go on sale later this week.

“After this coming tour, I anticipate doing the occasional performance in a (hopefully) acoustically pristine hall, and to donate those earnings to various philanthropic organizations, particularly those whose objective is to save the planet, ecologically,” he added.

“Once again, I am very grateful for a fulfilling career and, of course, most of all to the audiences who heard something in my music that touched their hearts.”

Simon got his start as half of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, which in 1968 won a Grammy for its hit “Mrs. Robinson.” He has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and in 2003 received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in Simon & Garfunkel.